Head Boy
by infinitygalaxies.infinitystars
Summary: Lily overhears something a few weeks before Seventh Year begins, as she arrives at the castle early, and... JAMES POTTER IS HEAD BOY! Slight Jily. Disclaimer: character rights are owned by JK Rowling. CHARACTERS ARE OOC. DON'T HATE.
Lily was at Hogwarts three weeks before Seventh Year started, like a few other Seventh Years. She proudly sported her Head Girl badge.

One day, two weeks before school started, Lily was walking by Dumbledore's office, when she heard Potter's voice. Wondering what trouble he'd gotten himself into, she eavesdropped on what he was saying to Dumbledore.

"Albus, I'm… are you sure? Why did you give _me_ Head Boy?" Lily gasped. She'd be working with _Potter_? But then what he was saying registered in her head. Potter _didn't think he was right for the job_. She listened harder. "I mean, Sirius and I have broken enough Hogwarts rules to be expelled and I've had so many detentions that I lost count in First Year. I play pranks. For Merlin's sake, I'm a _Marauder_ , Albus! Why do you think this is a good idea?" Then, he gave a short bitter laugh. "Anyway, it's not like the Head Girl would like to work with me. Don't you think Remus or Sniv- Severus are better for the job? They're more… mature, I guess."  
"James Charles Potter." Lily could imagine Potter's cringe at the full name. "I think I was quite justified in my choice. Who got all straight Os in their OWLs?" James tried to interrupt, but Dumbledore wasn't finished. "Who received the highest marks on record for their OWLs? Who always is making people laugh? Who always, if seeing someone upset, cheers them up? Who is it that punishes those who bully others? Don't think I've not noticed that you only attack Mr Snape when he is rude to others. Both of us are aware of Mr Lupin's condition. Whose idea was it to go with him to keep him company? And who's one of the best wizards ever? Who, at the young age of seventeen, has their own Animagus? And their own strong Patronus? Who is responsible and mature enough to remember all of his teachers' birthdays and remember what they need and get it for them? Who organises the Secret Christmas giveaway? Who gives their things away? Who goes around on Christmas Eve and convinces all the ghosts to put hundreds of envelopes with Galleons in them and give them out to the students in each house? Who has been Quidditch Chaser and Captain since Third Year?" Lily's mouth was wide open. Potter was definitely a strange human being… wait, those envelopes were from Potter? "Yes, I know I could have chosen either Mr Lupin or Mr Snape, but Mr Lupin's condition isn't favourable and Hogwarts doesn't need a potential Death Eater as a Head Boy."  
James, seeing his entry, started rebuking as much as he could of what Dumbledore said. "I'm not the only one who got straight Os! I know that Remus also got Os! So did Arthur Weasley! Sirius and the rest of the Marauders also cheer people up and make them laugh! Loads of people, like Amos Diggory, hex those who bully others! Both Sirius and Peter also have Animagi! I know for a fact that my dad was Beater and Captain for Gryffindor since Fourth Year!"  
Lily could hear Dumbledore's smile. "You are also modest. You say Lily Evans doesn't like you, she does." Potter immediately refused to believe that. Lily felt guilty for letting him think that she completely loathed him. She actually did kind of like him.  
"But, Albus... I'm... I'm not right to be the Head Boy. Pretty much _anyone_ could tell you that. I bet when Professor McGonagall was told this, she just about fainted, right? It's because I shouldn't be Head Boy! Albus, I'm going to give this to Remus. Then, Lily can pick up any slack due to his condition. Plus, he's been Prefect before. It makes sense for the Prefect to be bumped up to Head Boy."  
That's when Lily stepped in. "Okay, yes, I was eavesdropping," as she confessed, she saw the tops of Potter's ears turn red as they always did when he was embarrassed, "and Potter, just take the stupid badge. Okay? For Merlin's sake, just accept that neither of you will change your mind, and I'll have to put up with you for this whole year." She looked down, and scowled.  
In her peripheral vision, she noticed Potter looking back to Dumbledore, saying "See. The Head Girl doesn't want me as Head Boy. She's better friends with Snape." He looked around quickly. "I'm going to find the Slytherin dorms. Bye, Albus! Bye, Evans!" He raced out and disappeared.  
Dumbledore sighed. "That boy will never see himself clearly."  
"Um... excuse me, Professor Dumbledore, but why does Potter call you by your first name? In fact, why do all the Marauders do that?" Lily asked.  
Dumbledore smiled, faintly. "Mr Potter calls me that because I am very closely connected to his family. Mr Black does the same because he is, in all ways but by blood, one of the Potters. Mr Lupin and Mr Pettigrew do only because Mr Potter does. Those three boys see him very clearly. That is why they adore him so. It's such a shame that he'll never realise just how special he is." Dumbledore glanced sideways at Lily, who was looking at the door that James had just scrambled out of. "Of course, you probably are not helping." He said, with a sad smile.  
Lily flushed. "Um, Professor? Does Pot- James really believe those things about himself? That he's not good enough?"  
Dumbledore sighed. "That boy has never believed he was good enough for anything. He could be pronounced Minister of Magic and would probably refuse and pass it on to Mr Lupin. In front of people, he acts how he thinks he should act, not how he wants to act. He acts like a spoilt boy, because he believes that's what he is. He acts not good enough because that is what he believes. If he acted how he wanted to act, he'd definitely surpass everyone who has ever studied at Hogwarts and would not be so self-depreciating. He would not be so silent about the good he does. If Hogwarts were to see both boys I see: the James Potter who lives and breathes the Hogwarts spirit, pranks, and is a natural at magic; yet also the James Potter who lives at and worships Godric's Hollow and all who live there, the boy who spends far too much time holed up in his room, the one who is a mother's boy, the one with huge dreams and other dreams that he believes cannot be achieved. If Hogwarts met both boys," he looked straight at Lily, "I would be the happiest man in the world." He looked out of the window. "Alas, James Potter cannot seem to see the way I do. I worry about him, Miss Evans. Truly, I do." Professor Dumbledore looked so downhearted, Lily suddenly felt a lot of guilt. After all, she had been talking him down since they were First Years and had been encouraging everyone she could to do the same.

Just then, Severus sauntered in with a smug grin on his face. "Thank you, Headmaster, for making me Head Boy. I was rather surprised that you made _Potter_ give the badge to me instead of sending it with my letter for this year like I expected, but I suppose it was a punishment, so I… minorly hexed him before coming here. I also happened to see Potter with his shirt untucked so I fixed it for him." Lily shivered at the grin that split Severus' face. "I doubt I will need to do that again. Now, Potter told me that you needed to see me about Head Boy duties. Oh, Lily, I believe you are Head Girl? Of course, it only makes sense, what with us getting the highest marks ever on our OWLs." Lily started to see what James and Sirius got so annoyed about when they saw Severus. Severus boasted about everything. God, was she like this? Vaguely, she remembered one day when she just bragged to her friends all day about the various awards and prizes she had won. She remembered seeing James shake his head and whisper to Sirius, 'he's ruined her'. Now she understood what he meant. Then, she zoned back in to the conversation at hand.  
"Well, Mr Snape, as Head Boy, you must…" Dumbledore began. Lily was alarmed. Dumbledore was allowing him to take James' role? Then, she noticed the frown inching its way across his face and relaxed. Dumbledore was _not_ pleased, but James would not budge. She'd seen firsthand how stubborn he could be.

"Excuse me, Headmaster," Lily began in an apologetic tone, "but may I please borrow Severus for a few minutes?"  
"Of course, Miss Evans. Take your time." Dumbledore's eyes had a twinkle in them and Lily was sure he knew what she was going to do. She just hoped it worked.

"What is it, Lils?" Severus asked, a small (but smug) grin on his face. Lily's lips twitched into a scowl at Severus' use of James' nickname for her.  
"Uh… just wanted to congratulate you on the Head Boy thing. I mean, it's a huge honour, right?" She smiled, not meaning it, really.  
"Of course. I mean, it was an even bigger honour that Dumbledore finally realised that I was the best person to… ah… 'help' Potter atone for his wrongdoings." Lily didn't like the malicious smile that Severus wore.  
She smiled fakely, hoping Severus was too drunk on glory to realise. Luckily, he was. She patted his badge. "Looks good on you, Sev."  
Mentally, she whispered a spell to exchange the badge for the one she was fingering in her robe's pockets. She knew it would only work in a few minutes' time - but that was enough time to run over to the Gryffindor dorms and stop James from doing something utterly stupid. Smiling, she walked back into Dumbledore's office and smiled at the Headmaster. "Do you think it'll work?"  
"Of course. After all, you are second-best at Charms." Dumbledore said, a mischievous smile on his face.  
"And I'm first, right, Headmaster?" Severus said, snootily, finally coming into the office.  
Dumbledore's absolute dislike that Lily knew Severus would be too stuck-up to see, made Lily's face split into a wide grin before she smothered it down, wanting to hear how Dumbledore would respond. "No, Mr Snape, you are not. In fact, the results list here puts the top five students to be… in order from first to fifth: Mr James Potter, Miss Lily Evans, Mr Remus Lupin, yourself, and Mr Arthur Weasley." Dumbledore put down the parchment with the results on it. "I would have thought you already knew, Mr Snape. Head Boys are not to get carried away by their position. They are not chosen because they are the best. One is chosen due to grades and marks. The other is chosen by how well-liked they are."  
Lily quickly apologised to the both of them for needing to leave as 'she had just remembered something terribly urgent in the Gryffindor Common Room' and left.  
She ran down to the painting of the Fat Lady and breathlessly said the password. As she moved aside, the Fat Lady whispered "That pureblood, James Potter? He's Head Boy, isn't he? Why is he in here? He was helping Filch move his luggage in here again."  
"Thanks. I'm just going to sort him out." Lily replied, and the Fat Lady nodded.

She ran in… and paused. There in the middle of the Common Room, were all the Marauders.  
"Where's Potter?" Lily asked. "Quickly, I haven't a lot of time. The charm will start working soon! Snape will notice in a minute. Where's James?"  
The Marauders pointed to boy's dorms and said "Remus will get him." Lily didn't say anything. She just repeated the words 'quickly'.

James came downstairs, followed by Remus. "What is it, Lils?"  
"No time. Just wear this badge, okay?" She pinned a charity badge she'd been given by Tuney long ago onto James' robes.  
"Nice gift, Evans." Black snorted.  
"Wait." Lily said, staring at the badge.  
Suddenly, the badge started shimmering and it was replaced by the Head Boy badge.  
"Lils…" James started, but Lily was already pulling him out of the door and dragging him to Dumbledore's office.

Outside the office, she could hear Dumbledore telling Severus that he can't be Head Boy without having the appropriate badge. With that, she pulled James into the office.  
Immediately, the two males looked at James and Lily. Snape's eyes zeroed in on the badge on James' robes. "Headmaster, I knew it! That… that abomination Charmed my badge so that he could be Head Boy! It's a good thing Lily caught him, or he'd have been mistaken for the position. And as Head Boy, I strongly advise Potter to be given three months' detention in the Forbidden Forest." With that said, Snape collapsed back in his chair and turned to James, smirking smugly.  
"Actually, Mr Snape, Miss Evans has just done what I asked her to do. After all, the reason why you didn't get the badge in the mail was because I gave it to Mr Potter." As Severus spluttered, Dumbledore turned back to James. "I hope you are starting to realise that Hogwarts needs a bit of fun in its inner circles. Mr Potter… James… consider it. Duties don't start for three weeks. Come back and talk to me tomorrow. Also, I wouldn't want to send Euphemia an owl about this situation…"  
Lily watched as James turned red then very white as Dumbledore mentioned Euphemia. She assumed Euphemia was his mother.  
"Albus,…. you wouldn't…" He spluttered. Finally, after a stubborn staring match between the two, James sighed and said, "Fine. I'll take the stupid role. Just, don't send Mum an owl. She's paranoid she'll get something strange in them. She's expecting Sirius to send at least three owls this term!"  
Lily smiled before backing out of the office, pulling Severus out with her. As she did so, she continued hearing the conversation between the two males, who seemed so different, yet so alike.

"Lily! What was that all about? What did Dumbledore mean when he said he gave it to Potter?" Snape snarled.  
"Exactly that, Sev. He sent the badge to James. James deserves it. After all, James has secretly been the exact opposite of how you portrayed him out to be." Lily replied.  
"You… you traitorous Mudblood!" Severus yelled at her. Several people turned to look at the pair.  
Lily's eyes flashed in fury. This had happened before, so she was used to it - her old best friend calling her names and her old enemy conforting her. With a shaking voice, she waved her wand and said, "Immobulus."

She walked back into the office, knocking first. Popping her head around the door, she said, "Excuse me, Headmaster, but a student appears to have been calling Muggle-borns an inappropriate name. I have immoblised him in case you wished for any action to take place." She grinned.  
Both Dumbledore and James grinned in return. James turned to Dumbledore, "Hey, Albus? Can we give him the punishment he wanted to give me? It seems only fair."  
Dumbledore smiled, lovingly, at his godson. "Of course, Mr Pot- James." He corrected himself when he saw James look at him reprimandingly. He turned back to Lily. "Miss Evans, if you would be so kind as to tell Mr Snape of his punishment and take him to Mr Filch. Explain the situation to him too, if you wouldn't mind."  
"It would be my pleasure. And, James?" Lily asked. James looked at her, curiously. She smiled at him. "Good job on the Head Boy role."  
He grinned at her. "Cheers, Lils." He threw her a Bertie Bott's jelly bean.  
She put it in her mouth and looked at him. "How did you know I'd get toffee?"  
James shrugged. "I had a feeling…" As she turned to leave, she heard James whisper. "Albus, did you want another honey one?" Sneaking back, she wanted to find out how James did it. She looked through the crack to see James pointing his wand at the beans. "Flavour Revealo!" He said. before putting his wand away and digging through the box. "Hm… socks, vomit, bogeys, lime, chocolate cake, oh strawberry - yum, ah-ha! Honey. Here you go, Albus. One honey jelly bean, from yours truly." He gave a mock bow, despite him being seated in the large armchair in the corner of Dumbledore's office.

With that in mind, Lily smiled and walked off, remembering an office in which sat a young boy who thought the world of everyone and nothing of himself, and an older man, intent on showing the boy how special he was.

That night, Lily fell asleep, ignoring the sounds of Snape screaming in the Forbidden Forest. Despite being seventeen, that boy was such a pansy-ass.

 _\- fin_


End file.
